Tag Archives: South Vistas

PHOENIX, AZ—The FBI Violent Street Gang Task Force and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced today, August 26, 2009, the execution of 14 search warrants and the indictment of over 100 gang members. In January 2007, top area law enforcement officials announced a new targeting strategy for attacking violent street gangs in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Today’s operation shows a continued effort to lessen gang related activity in our communities.

In January 2009, Operation Tri Dent was initiated targeting South Phoenix street gangs. The defendants indicted in this matter are charged with drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, aggravated robbery, and conspiracy. This operation is the sixth takedown by the Violent Street Gang Task Force over the last 2 ½ years which has culminated in the arrest of over 450 gang members from various gang affiliations. The FBI’s Violent Street Gang Task Force is comprised of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Mesa Police Department, Phoenix Police Department and the FBI. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided exceptional support to the Violent Street Gang Task Force in identifying certain aspects of drug trafficking by gang members.

FBI Special Agent in Charge, Nathan Gray, Phoenix Division stated, “Gang activity in a community affects the quality of life of those who reside in that community. It is imperative for law enforcement to protect communities from violent gangs. The FBI’s Violent Street Gang Task Force has partnered with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to disrupt several South Phoenix gangs preying on its citizens. These efforts have and will continue to diminish gang related activity in the metro Phoenix area.”